Local SEO in a Nutshell
Do you understand why local SEO is important, whether it applies to your business, and how to boost your chances of success with local customers and clients? This blog aims to provide you with some clarification on Local SEO, as well as some factual statistics.
What is Local SEO, and how does it work?
Local SEO is exactly what it says on the tin. It’s the process of improving your web presence in order to boost your search engine exposure among local users.
So, what is the significance of local search? Because local companies account for 45 percent of all Google searches.
According to a Forbes research, 95% of individuals use their mobile devices to conduct local searches, with 61 percent calling and 59 percent visiting the business.
According to another survey, 88 percent of smartphone searches for local companies result in a call or visit within 24 hours.
The holy grail of local search marketing is Google’s ‘Local Pack.’ You’ve seen those three businesses, together with a map and dropped pins, in the box at the top of the search page… Unsurprisingly, they receive more clicks and customers than any of the links further down the page.
The big question is: how does a company break into the top three? It’s all part of a well-rounded SEO strategy, which begins with an understanding of local SEO — what it is, how it works, and how to play the game.
If you need guidance or assistance with increasing your local SEO, BlueCoast Marketing can assist you. BlueCoast Marketing is a Manchester-based SEO agency with over 13 years of experience providing plain, no-nonsense counsel and technical know-how to help you boost your online presence.
Is Local SEO Really Necessary?
Local SEO might help your business if you have a local customer or client base.
Some businesses may not realize that by employing Local SEO, they could be attracting more customers from outside their immediate area. This is especially important for anyone in the catering or hospitality industry, where non-local visitors may conduct research before visiting your location.
What Types of Business Benefit Most from Local SEO?
Hotels, restaurants, cafés, and bars are all examples of hospitality.
Doctors, dentists, and clinics are examples of medical practices.
Solicitors and law firms
Local service providers such as florists, plumbers, electricians, hair salons, accountants, fitness centers, etc
What Types of Business Don’t Need Local SEO?
Online stores or “e-commerce” companies
Online service providers
Individuals private selling goods
So Why is Local SEO So Important?
Local SEO makes your business stand out – even if you don’t have a website – and helps online leads generate more traffic to your location.
Since these leads are from people who are particularly seeking for products or services that your organization offers, they are also likely to give you a high conversion rate.
Local searches are on the rise, with 4 out of 5 consumers now utilizing search engines to locate local information, and 70 percent of consumers visiting a real store as a result of search result information.
Local SEO also aids in influencing people’s decisions in your favor. In their perspective, the more knowledge they have about your business before they come, the more trustworthy you are.
What is the “Map Pack”?
Local search results provide a selection of the top three most relevant results (Snack Pack or Local Pack). They’re displayed in a boxed space underneath the pay-per-click advertising, along with a map with dropped pins.
The standard list of search engine results appears beneath this box (organic results).
These are the three companies listed in the ‘Local Pack’ box at the top of the page of results. According to one study, 33 percent of local search clicks go to Local Pack results, while 40 percent go to organic search results – therefore both are still highly relevant in enhancing your online presence locally.
Google Business Profile Page
A Google My Business profile is absolutely free, and it’s an important part of any Local SEO campaign–if you haven’t done so already, it should be the next item on your to-do list.
It allows you to create an account on Google’s ‘business directory,’ where you may list critical information about your company. Images, location, address, website address, contact information, business hours, and customer reviews are among them.
When a customer searches for “near me” or “in *locality name*,” your business address will not appear if it is not updated in Google My Business and other online directories.
Local Organic Search Results
Improving your overall organic search optimisation will help you improve your Google rating and increase your chances of landing in the coveted Top Three box.
What are the Most Important Local SEO Ranking Elements?
According to Google, the three most essential factors are:
Relevance: The degree to which people’s searches correspond to a local listing. Adding more information about your business can help Google better understand it and match your listing to the most relevant searches.
Distance: The distance between each possible business and the search terms. If a consumer does not indicate a location in their search, Google will compute the distance based on the information available about their location.
Prominence: A measure of how well-known a company is based on information Google has about it from all across the internet (like links, articles and directories). The number and quality of Google reviews are also taken into account when determining a business’s local search position; more reviews and good ratings will boost a company’s local ranking.
What can BlueCoast Marketing do for you?
Local SEO audits and strategic planning, data management, local marketing campaigns, and content are just a few of the services we offer:
Google Business Profile
Ensure that your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) is consistent across any online directories where you’ve registered. If there are any inconsistencies, Google is likely to exclude your company from the Local Pack.
On-Page Signals
Make a list of everything your customers want to know about your company, including locations, services, and an address – and double-check that it matches what’s on your GMB profile.
Local Business Directory Citations
A local citation occurs when your business is referenced on a third-party website (such as a blog, article, or review site). This might include your company’s name, address, or phone number. It is not necessary to have a backlink to your website.
Optimize Your Web Page Content
Locally relevant issues that might not fit in your website landing pages can be included in blogs. Page content, title tags, meta descriptions, and picture tags can all benefit from localization.
Online Review Management
If you acquire positive ratings or reviews in the hospitality industry, you can improve your Google ranking. This is likely to spread to other industries in the future, therefore incorporating positive reviews and testimonials into your company directory entry and on other sites is critical to obtaining traction.
When ranking local businesses, Google will take into account the number of reviews you have. While the search engine crawler doesn’t care if they’re positive or bad, the content itself will have an impact on your customers, traffic, conversions, and money.
Building Local Backlinks
Assisting you in obtaining backlinks from local publications, local directories, distributors, and suppliers.
When you use local SEO tactics, your business’s searches become much more targeted. Local searches are looking for a specific business or place, which means that if done properly, your company could be in a better position to promote the items or services it offers.
When compared to typical advertising approaches, local SEO is a bargain. An advertisement in a local newspaper or on a local radio station might cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Many local SEO approaches are free to use and implement, allowing you to spend more money on other SEO measures if you so desire.
Local searches are typically seeking for information on local businesses, so having information readily available (such as your name, address, and contact information) on your website and through specific, trustworthy directories will aid your company strategy and encourage sales.